The haze persists all day long, and the black clouds from the northern sky seem to be pushing closer to the Central Plains, enveloping the flowing flames, making people daunting.

There are still people who leave the capital one after another and head south with their families. The ruts are piled up layer by layer on the official road, and the fallen flowers along the way are trampled into red mud.However, there are also people who choose to stay in the city, clinging to their old life amidst the turmoil.

The magnificent city, with all kinds of life, is now suspended between a thread.

At nightfall, Si Yutong finally withdrew from the barracks and returned to the imperial city.She did not go back to the East Palace to rest, but went straight to the Hall of Eternal Life to review the official documents that had been accumulated for a day.The decision to transfer troops to the north happened suddenly, all provinces and ministries were in a hurry, and she needed to intervene in all matters big and small.

Captain Zuo, who was born in the Bai Mansion, accompanied her to patrol the barracks today, and followed her all the way back to the palace. Seeing that she had no intention of resting, she was sitting in front of the case, drawing a pen and ink, and finally couldn’t help but said: “Jun Lord, rest a moment, you have not closed your eyes all day and all night.”

Si Yutong raised her head slightly. She was indeed tired, with blue eyes and pale cheeks, but she just wiped her face with a handkerchief and said, “It’s okay.”

Captain Zuo still looked worried, lowered his head and said: “I promise young master to take good care of you…”

Si Yutong was taken aback, and after a moment of silence, he said, “In that case, is Captain Zuo willing to help me share some of the burden?”

Captain Zuo immediately nodded and said: “The subordinates should serve themselves.”

“Sit down.” Si Yutong leaned over to give up the seat opposite the table, and handed over a stack of official documents, “Here are the soldiers, horses, food and grass that need to be bought urgently, and each item is detailed. You can check what else is there. If it is missed, it must be arranged tomorrow, and troops must be dispatched the day after tomorrow at the latest.”

Captain Zuo was startled: “Is it so urgent?”

Si Yutong nodded: “The spread of the sky fire should not be underestimated. According to the prediction of the star officials, it will be pushed to the location of the Great Wall of the Northern Wilderness in at most seven days. Before that, we must arrive.”

Captain Zuo nodded: “This subordinate understands.” But his brows were still frowned, he hesitated for a moment, and then said, “Princess, it says on it that all the ritual vessels in the palace, large and small, are to be remelted in the furnace, whose idea is it? “

“It’s my idea.” She replied, “Before going out, it is necessary to build a ladder to climb the wall. This is the most important thing to quell the sky fire.”

“You want to climb the Great Wall of the Northern Wilderness?”

“It’s not me, I don’t have that ability yet. It’s Master Di Dongqing and Master Lu Zhengqiu, and the ladder is also their request.”

“So that’s how it is.” Captain Zuo said, with a look of conviction on his face.The deeds of the two masters and apprentices defeating Xia Qiyuan in the underground palace have been widely spread among the courtiers. At that time, he was on the top of the city wall and saw the magnificent scene of the Qilin sword soaring into the sky and cutting the night, so he made a request to the two of them. There was no resistance, but he buried his head and muttered: “Is there no other material available for casting ladders?”

“It’s too late to raise money.”

“However, the ritual utensils in the palace are utensils for offering sacrifices to the gods. Which one is not a treasure handed down from the ancestors. It would be disrespectful to destroy it like this.”

Si Yutong shook her head and said, “You are wrong. In the face of national calamity, the only disrespect is to ignore the safety of the common people. Other than that, there are reasons for forgiveness.”

“But……”

“Don’t worry, if you offend the gods, I will bear the consequences.”

Her tone was flat, but there was an unquestionable majesty.

Captain Zuo couldn’t help raising his head, looking at the face on the opposite side of the table.Under the shroud of candlelight, on the tired face, a pair of pupils were shining, fearless, fearless, and there was something sacred.

He couldn’t help saying: “I wonder if you heard the courtiers talking about it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites has summoned the remaining five departments to jointly write a letter, supporting you to inherit the throne of Emperor Jian.”

Si Yutong stopped writing, raised her head and said, “May I ask Captain Zuo what you think?” Seeing the other party’s hesitation, he added, “But it’s okay, I trust you, so I want to hear your truth.”

Captain Zuo looked around, and finally fell back on her face: “At first, I also had doubts. There has never been a precedent in Yu State for a woman to be king, but…” Speaking of this, he suddenly He stood up, bowed his waist and cupped his hands, and saluted deeply, “Now I think that the person who can lead Yu Kingdom is none other than you.”

“Thank you very much.” Si Yutong nodded at her, signaling him to sit down, “However, this matter should not be rushed, the most important thing right now is to quell the flames of the sky and save the people. The succession of the throne will not be discussed until the day of my triumphant return.”

Captain Zuo couldn’t help showing surprise, he was stunned for a moment before lowering his head, and said heavily: “What the princess said is very true, when the princess returns triumphantly and saves the people from water and fire, then there will be no one in the court to hinder you great cause.”

Si Yutong saw a bit of undisguised fear in his lowered gaze.

She knew very well that this fear did not come easily, it was finally bought by her nine years of wandering and sacrificing the lives of countless people around her.

She smiled slightly and swallowed her true heart back.

She came from the rivers and lakes and worked as a slovenly beggar for nine years. She shared the wind and snow with her colleagues in the Tianshui gang, pushed cups and changed cups, went through life and death, and made her home everywhere. Now that she thinks about it, those days of blood licking with knives were her whole life. The most joyful, the most distracting time.In contrast, the position of the monarch that her uncle tried so hard to snatch was never what she wanted in her heart.

However, she has no choice.

She cast her eyes out of the window, the twilight outside the window was deep, the night was as thick as ink that would never disperse on the rice paper, and under the cover of the sky fire, the stars also faded, and those dark spots hung in the sky like scars , reluctant to fade away.

She suddenly had a feeling that these stars might be the souls of the dead, and she didn’t want to leave just like that. She looked at her from afar, waiting for her to dispel the haze for them.

Thinking of this, a trace of affection floated in her heart, like snowflakes falling on the water and quickly melting away.

It was night, and a new resident was ushered in in the quiet Prince Chang’s Mansion.

The new residents didn’t like ostentation, so they only chose a side courtyard in the deepest place to live temporarily. The next day they would leave the capital and follow the army to the northern border. The time they stayed in the imperial city was just scratching the surface.

A table of simple banquets was set up in the side courtyard, and the banquets were filled with improvised dishes, large chunks of chopped braised pork, and simple fried leaf sprouts, none of which was as delicate and elegant as a palace banquet should be.But the people at the table didn’t mind, after all, the meat dishes were just for decoration, and the real important thing was the warm wine in the bowl.

Bai Xiuchuan got up first, holding the jug in his hand, poured wine for the guests in turn, and finally returned to his seat, holding the wine bowl in both hands, facing the direction of the main table, and said: “Sister Atong is busy with business. , let me toast the two of you on her behalf.”

Shen Zhaoyun took a seat on his left. Hearing the words, he also picked up the wine: “Thanks to the two of you who put yourself in danger, this catastrophe was able to quell. Although I have resigned from the official position, I still want to thank you on behalf of the people of Anyi.”

A Jin was also at the banquet, frowning and said: “It’s a pity that the achievements of Master Zhengqiu and Big Brother Dongqing are unknown to the people in the city…”

Liang Xiao comforted her and said, “There is no need to worry about it. When the two of you return triumphantly with the princess, it will be difficult for all the men, women and children in the city to know.”

The four of them toasted together and saw Dongqing master and apprentice off together.

The expressions on their faces were a little dignified, as long as the sky fire was still there, the haze would hardly dissipate.However, the good wine in the glass can temporarily change the haze into laughter.

Lu Zhengqiu took advantage of the situation and got up. Although he couldn’t see everyone’s faces, he still glanced around and said politely: “Thanks to everyone’s concern, we will have a happy chat with you when we return from victory.”

After finishing speaking, a hand stretched out beside him, taking his wine bowl away without any explanation.

Di Dongqing took the wine bowl and said: “Master is not in good health and can’t drink alcohol yet, let me drink instead this time.”

Before the other party could make a sound, the young man raised his neck and poured a bowl full of wine down his throat.

The smell of wine was hot and spicy, burning his throat.

Everyone sat down again, and the practice banquet was considered to be over. There was a lot of talking and laughing between the toasts.

Di Dongqing didn’t say much, one of his hands was still on Lu Zhengqiu’s wrist.The five bruised fingers were so tight that it seemed as if the person in their hands would disappear if they relaxed for a moment.